New military vehicles to get test runs on Route 30

PennDOT also has approved U.S. Route 15 for MMPV tests.

Fleets of large trucks loaded with Army tanks are a common sight along U.S. Route 30.

But a different type of vehicle will be powering its way to and from BAE Land Systems over the next couple of weeks.

"If you see these extremely large vehicles on the road, don't get excited," Hamilton Township zoning officer advised a recent meeting. "BAE is just doing some required test runs through the township and adjacent municipalities."

Hamilton Township officials recently received word from BAE that the state Department of Transportation has approved routes 30 and 15 for 100-mile test drives for the company's newest Medium Mine Protected Vehicle, or MMPV.

In the field, the hulking MMPVs are used in missions to clear and neutralize explosives. The vehicles getting their test runs are the latest models produced.

BAE contacted the township as a courtesy, Balutis said, because the huge MMPV trucks will be traveling through Hamilton Township by way of Route 30. The MMPVs will not be using any other routes, said Balutis.

"All they needed was PennDOT approval, but they wanted us to know so we could tell our residents not to be alarmed," Balutis said.

BAE needs to drive the MMPVs on the 100-mile test runs in order to get federal accreditation, Balutis said.

No time-of-day schedule has been revealed for the runs, and they could be held anytime from now through the end of April.